Thursday, August 22, 2013

Understanding Brain Fog

Trying to explain to family and friends what it is like to experience brain fog can be quite challenging. Many times we are told we have "mental problems" or we are getting "alzheimers" or that we are just plain "crazy."

Trying to live while sick and experiencing this debilitating symptom is hard enough, but to be under constant judgement of this and other symptoms just adds insult to injury.

Brain fog can be explained in a number of ways, it can be a little different for each person. Here is a couple different ways I have experience it, or heard other friends of mine with chronic illness explain it.

1. It's hard to think.Literally like there is a fog in your head. You just feel blank. You feel like you could just sit and stare at the walls and do nothing. Any kind of task seems overwhelming. Everything is confusing, Adding 2+2 becomes a task. You can't remember basic things like tying your shoe.

2. Feels like you are between wake/dream state.Nothing seems reality. It feels like you are drifting between conscious and unconscious. I have described it as I feel like I'm in a coma, or about to be. I can hear what's going on around me but feel detached from it all.

3. Feels like you are in a tunnel. Everything seems so far away. Vision doesn't seem right, sound seems far away, everything is a blur. Like #2 you feel detached, like you are in a tunnel and everyone else is at the other end.